First of all, I want to thank EVERYONE who has been following and reviewing all of my stories, especially Sabacat, Mama-sama, Oracle at Delphi, *Kat*chan*, Shattered, Lady Saffir, and Lara Winner. <G> I don't own GW, nor do I make $$ off of it, so PLEASE, don't bother suing me. <G>

********Ok.. the format is a bit different here. The scene switches scenes, from Wufei to Sally, and once to Frank. Keep in mind that, for the most part, it is all happening simultaneously. The only exception being when Wufei opens the email telling him where to go. That happens about an hour before Sally's first scene.

~Leeko

Deep Play, Chapter 11 - YOU LET HER TAKE MY ONNA?

Wufei:

Wufei sat at his desk, slowly working down the list of neglected emails that had accumulated over the past few days. He had just finished the last one, when another arrived into his box. Annoyed, he hit the little envelope, hoping that it would be something stupid that he could just ignore.

Scanning the first few lines, he could feel his blood start to run cold. They had her. He checked the origin, then cursed. It had been sent from one of many public terminals, using a web based system that never checked it's clients identities too closely.

He watched as Heero Yuy entered the office, knowing from his expression that the email was telling the truth. Without thought, he flew over his desk and wrapped his hands around the other pilot's throat. He squeezed tightly as they both fell to the ground.

The fall jarred his concentration, and Heero was able to break the hold. Coughing, he pushed Wu off of his chest and sat up. Wufei threw a punch into his face, too upset to really care about good form. Heero ducked, then grabbed him, using his weight to pin the other man to the floor.

"You've heard?" Heero asked emotionlessly, still blaming himself.

"You let her take my woman!" Wufei gasped, outraged.

"They took Sally out the back door, Chang. There was no noise at all. No shouts, no struggles, absolute quiet. Also, we were sitting directly in front of the entrance way to the restrooms." Heero got off Wufei and stood. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the vial. "They chloroformed her, and picked the lock on the back door to leave."

"That's no excuse, Heero! I trusted you, and now my fiance and our child is in danger!!" The Preventer accused, refusing to accept Heero's explanations.

Wu went to his desk and printed out the email. Then, he pulled his gun out of the drawer. Double checking to make sure it was loaded, he tucked it into the inside pant holster set in the small of his back. Drawing out a smaller gun, it was soon tucked away at his calf, while his normal service revolver was set into his shoulder holster. He was praying that they might miss one when he was searched.

"Where are you going?" Heero asked, "We should wait until we find out where she is being held."

"I already know where she is. Here." He handed the printed out email to Heero, then made for the door.

"Wu, this is stupid! You know it's a trap!"

"Yeah? Well, what else am I supposed to do? Ignore the note and not go? That's always been the main difference between us, Heero. You only love when it doesn't interfere with your mission. Well, loving Sally IS my mission. If I'm going to die, then I want to do it rescuing her."

He turned around and walked out of the building, not waiting to hear how Heero would reply. He didn't see the men that the other pilot signaled to follow him, nor the tears falling from some of the more romantic women in the office. At that moment, Chang Wufei went from being a chauvinistic asshole.. to a chauvinistic heartthrob.

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Sally:

Sally woke up, moaning as bright patches of light attacked her eyes. A strange hollowness rang in her ears, deepening her confusion as she realized that she was not in her bed.

Putting her hands over her face, she sat up, leaning her shoulder against the wall for support. Slowly, she remembered going to the rest room, and then blackness. Groaning, she realized that she walked into a trap.

"If I ever make it out of this, Wufei is not going to let me live it down." She mumbled, slowly lowering her hands.

Sally was relieved when that the lights didn't hurt anymore. Looking around, she noted that she was in a small room, stacked with crates. Dingy windows let a minimum amount of light in, and there was only one door.

She pushed herself up, swaying slightly. Putting her hand against the wall, she slowly walked over to the door and twisted the knob.

:::Locked. I should have listened to Duo about hiding lock picks.:::

Frustrated, she lay her forehead against the door, freezing when she heard something. It sounded like.. something heavy sliding down to the ground!

"Wufei?" She called, not caring how pitiful she sounded.

'No, Miss Sally! It's Rasheed. Mr. Chang just drove into the parking lot."

The door swooshed open, and Sally fell forward. Catching her around the waist, he lifted her into his arms and hurriedly started down the hall.

"I couldn't sneak away until now." He told her. "If we can get you out, we can get word that you're safe, and Wufei can wait for backup."

"He doesn't have backup?" She gasped, wondering where his head was.

"The ransom note said to come alone." Rasheed confirmed. "We have to hurry."

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Wufei:

Wufei pulled his car over into the shadows, then got out. He knew that he would not be leaving the building alive, but hopefully, Rasheed would be able to get Sally out while he stalled.

Closing his eyes, he centered himself, calming his anxieties, then approached the door.

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Sally:

"Rasheed - put me down. I can walk now, and you need your hands free." Sally ordered. Spotting another doorway off to the right. "Where does that door lead us?"

"That would take us to the loading area of the warehouse." He replied, setting her down. "But we're supposed to go this way, Ma'am, to the rear exit."

"Is Cecil in there?" She asked, ignoring the Maganacs gestures.

"Yes. That's why Mr. Chang told me to take you out the back way." He reached for her arm, intending to lead her in the opposite direction.. "Miss Sally? C'mon. Mr. Chang gave me orders.. said not to worry about him, but to make sure I get you out."

Sally shrugged his hand off, and continued toward her enemy.

"Miss Sally! Wufei does NOT need to worry about you!"

"Rasheed, give me a gun."

The Maganac leader was armed with his normal thoroughness, which included twin pistols on either thigh and a mini Uzi strapped to his chest. She didn't want the Uzi.. but the pistols would be nice.

"Miss Sally? I really don't want to answer to Mr. Chang." the man said, sighing as he handed over one of the pistols. "At least, stay behind me."

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Wufei:

:::Carl has bad breath.::: Wufei noticed, as the man pushed him through the doorway to be judged by Bethany Cecil. :::At least Rasheed should have Sally out by now.:::

He raised his head, smiling, allowing his smug demeanor to confuse the bitch. :::You just wonder.::: he thought.

She was there, in front of him. Seeing his grin, she returned it, triumphant.

"Hello, Mr. Chang." She said. "I see that you are feeling rather good right now."

Bethany walked closer, smoothing down a non-existent cowlick in her gray hair. She laughed in her face, then looked around, exaggerating her movements. "By now, Rasheed and your little whore should be dead. Oh? You didn't actually think I trusted him? Aww.. too bad. I just can't stand disloyalty, you know."

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Frank:

Frank stood guard on the roof, watching for his quarry to exit out the rear door. Spotting something, he looked over the edge, allowing himself to become a target.

In the treetops, one of Heero's specially trained sharpshooters took him down, and his gun fell to the ground.

The automatic rifle discharged in a flurry of gunfire, causing the sharpshooters to duck under cover. When it was over, they looked out, confirming that Franks dead body lay on the ground, in the pool of light from the bulb over the door where he had fallen.

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Sally:

The gunfire echoed through the warehouse, as Sally closed her eyes and prayed that she was not too late. Breaking into a run, she reached the balcony overlooking the loading zone. Stopping to get her bearings, she was just in time to hear Bethany Cecil gloat over having her killed.

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Wufei:

"Did you hear that, Chang? That's the sound of me winning. My brother is starting to rest easy, now." She laughed. "The only one left to die is you."

Wufei could feel his face blanch in shame. He failed. His woman, his friend, and his child.. all dead because he rushed into this mess headlong.

He lifted his face, ignoring Bethany in his grief, shouting out his rage at the injustice. Halfway through his shout.. he stopped.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the most beautiful thing in the world. Sally and Rasheed were alive.

Bethany pulled the trigger, and he threw himself sideways. He could feel the burn in his side, but didn't stop to find out how badly he was hit.

Sally, stopped, a bead locked onto Bethany Cecil as the older woman carefully aimed at the back of Wu's head. Acting on instinct, she squeezed the trigger, sending her bullet into the woman's chest.

Carl went after Wufei, his gun raised. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sally move towards the stairway. He shifted his aim, intent on taking out this threat, when Wu kicked his arm up, sending the bullet into the ceiling. Grabbing his wound, Wufei gasped, then fell to his knees in pain.

Carl dropped his gun, then reached for a second.

"Drop it!" Sally shouted, turning her gun onto him.

Carl ignored her, knowing that his life was forfeit anyway. Aiming for the fallen warrior at his feet, he grinned, determined to see this to the end.

The bullet took him in the head, throwing him backwards on impact. His sightless eyes stared up at nothing, as the crimson pool spread out underneath.

Sally closed the distance to kneel beside Wufei. Looking into his face, she felt for a pulse, sighing in relief as she found it.

Carefully, she lifted his shirt up, thankful to see that it had gone through.

"Rasheed! Give me your shirt!" she ordered, looking up at the older warrior.

She was in the process of packing the wound when there was a flurry of feet running into the warehouse.

Looking up, she spotted Heero, leading ten agents in a sweep around the building.

"Heero! Get an ambulance!"

Spotting the fallen 05 pilot, he nodded, then called out over his radio to the ambulance waiting outside the gates.

Wufei opened his eyes, saw Sally, then smiled. "I told you to stay home." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5 1/2 months later:

"Please tell me that you didn't really name the kid Justice!" Duo gripped, shaking his head in pretended agony.

"No, Duo. I would NEVER let him subject my son to that!" Sally laughed. "We compromised."

"Yeah?" Duo walked over to Wufei, gently tugging the blanket down so that he could see the baby.

"Maxwell." Wu said, rolling his eyes. "Meet my son, Justin."

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~fin~ (or is it? Keep an eye out for 'The Bride Price', coming sometime this month. YES.. it will be about Wufei EARNING Sally's "I do." :) )

Leeko